Collateral Damage
by pleasesayitsnotso
Summary: In the wake of the new information pertaining to Ward, Skye finds it hard to sleep peacefully and deal with the reality of all that has occurred. Whilst Ward is wracked and haunted by the consequences of his actions especially when it comes to Skye. Please review and enjoy.


_"__And he hated himself and hated her, too, for the ruin they'd made of each other."  
__― __Dennis Lehane_

* * *

Skye looked upon the scene before her, it showed her and Ward in the hidden S.H.I.E.L.D. base, sat upon the sofa, she watches herself take Wards hand in hers. She steps forward wanting to interrupt, a moment that at the time had been so endearing but now made her stomach turn and clench in an intensely uncomfortable manner. However an invisible barrier separated her from the pain inducing scene playing out in front of her. Ward turned his head slowly in response to the contact initiated by her; his dark eyes glistened in the low light and searched the face of the Skye sat opposite him. Her heart started to pound within her chest, she feels the threat of hyper ventilation pummelling against her lungs, she tries to pull her eyes away from the scene but she can't. This is her punishment, her punishment for ever feeling anything for this disgusting, despicable being. She feels the tears start to sting at the back of her eyes, and she feels the inherent tension within her stomach pulling them back, holding them in. Ward leans in towards the Skye nursing his hand in hers,

"Skye..." The mere sound of his voice pierces her gut, twisting her insides into an irrevocable mess,

"I love you." She exhales violently, she can't watch this, and the restraint that had held on to her tears for so long had now given way as the tears stream down her cheeks. She watches as his hand comes up to cup her face, and a violent rage bubbles up from within as the last of her walls comes tumbling down,

"No, no, no, no..." she mutters, each one becoming louder and more panicked. He strokes his thumb along the contour of her cheek, slicing it open allowing the tendrils of red to weave their way down her cheek. Now panic and dread has consumed her and although she is merely an onlooker she feels the excruciating agony caused by the cut. Bringing her fists to the barrier in front of her she starts thrashing violently at it, hoping to disrupt the scene before her and end the pain and suffering she is being forced to endure. Looking on, the Skye before her has not even flinched even as the blood pours from her cut, and Wards lips capture hers in a passionate clinch. Pain has now consumed her whole body as she continues to pound her fists into the invisible barrier, screaming so hard that her lungs are burning and she feels as though her heart is going to burst from her chest,

"NO, NO, STOP! STOP, HE'S HYDRA! STOP IT, STOP IT! HE'S A TRAITOR, HE BETRAYED US..." The kiss becomes fuelled with a heated passion, and Skye's hands move to cup Wards face pulling him closer and deeper into the kiss. She feels physically sick and she feels her stomach churning, before it's interrupted by an agonising burn that scorches down the inside of her neck. Wards hand had now moved from her face, his fingers swiping at the tender skin of her neck drawing violent ribbons of blood from the Skye in front of her, however as before she does not react despite the alarming amount of blood painting her skin and clothes. She screams out, continuing to lash out,

"NO, NO, STOP... PLEASE STOP!" But then her eyes focus on Wards hand, and despite the passionate kiss they are engaged in his hand hovers in front of Skye's chest. Her eyes dilate in fear, so much so that suddenly all the pain from her wounds ceases, before she feels her heart being ripped and twisted from her chest, as Ward's hand plunges in to the Skye before him. Clutching her chest she falls to the floor as a paralysing pain rips through her, but all she can focus on is the heart that is now held in Ward's hand. As the scene before her fades away, its edges invaded by darkness she hears Ward whisper softly into her ear,

"Hail Hydra."

She wakes with a start, clutching at her chest and brushing her fingers along the skin that had previously been the source of unmitigated agony. Her breathing is harsh and heavy and she feels like the walls of her room are too close, stifling her and ridding her of the oxygen she needs. Quickly she moves from her bed and she strides swiftly to the kitchen and grabs a bottle of water from the fridge, sipping it slowly she then closes her eyes trying to control the rapid breathes that had been wracking her body. She makes her way towards the control room, and brings up the security footage of the cell Ward is incarcerated in.

Ward sat on a chair, his hands cuffed together, he felt numb. He felt as if he was in a dream, and in a minute he'd awaken and be back on the Bus. He would witness Fitzsimmons bickering; Coulson intently talking to May; May listening with her permanently stern expression; and Skye would be sat on her laptop amused at all of the people surrounding her, and she'd flash that smile that caused his heart to beat incessantly and a smile to form across his usually stony face. He missed her. It wasn't just missing her because she wasn't there with him, he had lost her. Completely. The look upon her face when he had told her his feelings had been true all along, even if his intentions at S.H.I.E.L.D. were not, had tortured him ever since. The look of disappointment, hurt and pure resentment killed him slowly, like a poison that had entered his blood stream, it pierced his heart and plagued him. Like a bad dream it reverberated within his mind, haunting him and scarring him permanently. Garrett and Hydra had been his one constant throughout his life, but Skye had brought so much more, she had ignited a desire, a passion and feelings he never knew he was capable of. It was only now that he felt the damaging flaw in this release of new emotions, because now he could only remember them within a storm of pain and sadness. **Not only had he damaged her, but she had damaged him in turn. Collateral damage initiated by him.**

She looked at the man before her, the man who haunted her dreams, the man who now made her question everything. What had they done to deserve this, this betrayal of the acutest kind, he had touched each of their lives and now he had driven a knife through them all. She had fallen for it... for him. How could she. It not only made her question herself as a human being but it also tormented her whole body with guilt. She had the opportunity to let him die; to let him feel paralysing pain; to let him feel the unequivocal rip in his heart, induced by the knowledge that the person he trusted is the reason why. She could have done it for the whole of the team, because they didn't deserve this. But she couldn't do it, and at that thought she let her body be wracked by the aftershocks of a heart breaking, she let the walls that had been holding her together crumble and welcomed the tears that stung the back of her eyes. As the tears filled her eyes, corrupting her vision, she let the last image she looked upon be Wards face. **She was broken.**


End file.
